The new automotive cloud platform supports a one-stop ecosystem connecting all aspects of a device, from OTA updates to data analytics, with a heavy focus on automotive services

CES – LAS VEGAS– January 4, 2017 – HARMAN (NYSE: HAR), the premier connected technologies company for the automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, today launched the HARMAN Ignite Platform, delivering its customers seamless management of connectivity, analytics, applications and devices in one place. The new solution largely applies to connected services in the automotive industry, but also extends to the realm of IoT, including Smart Cities and Connected Enterprises.

“The HARMAN Ignite platform is a perfect match for Subaru because it allows us to streamline our process for device management,” said Anthony Landamia, infotainment product manager, Subaru of America. “We are able to introduce and easily deploy new cloud applications and services to our customers. Given HARMAN’s history in on-vehicle and cloud technologies, we’re excited to leverage this platform’s capabilities.”

The HARMAN Ignite Platform is an end-to-end platform that enables connectivity, device management, application enablement, analytics and managed services capabilities. It allows automakers, dealers and service providers to introduce and easily deploy new cloud applications and services. It is both scalable and modular enabling OEMs to initially purchase a base set of functionality -- and through their partnership with HARMAN -- build on that core base with additional services and capacity as needed. This new platform targets the existing and future demands for scalability, security and flexibility in the provisioning of connected car and IoT services and applications.

“Ignite is part of the evolution of HARMAN being a service provider and application enabler in the connected car of the future,” said Roger Lanctot, associate director, global automotive practice, Strategy Analytics. “Car companies are seeking secure, flexible platforms that enable rapid prototyping and updating of new services targeting new vehicle ownership models and use cases.”

Examples of automotive use cases that leverage the HARMAN Ignite Platform are highlighted below and will be demonstrated at the CES this week:

Vehicle Connect: Allows a vehicle to communicate through the cloud to other platforms such as smart homes, smart infrastructures, and vehicle-to-vehicle – which helps simplify, streamline and enhance user experiences.

Cloud-Based Driver Profiles: Leverages the cloud to set preferences for content in any vehicle the consumer accesses. This solution leverages predictive learning in the vehicle to adjust preferences, provides access to third party services regardless of vehicle and accommodates cloud portability of preferences and identity.

Application Management: Accelerating and simplifying the development of solutions, providing common horizontal solution components, prebuilt accelerators and scenarios to be re-used across industries & segments

“We’re thrilled to introduce the HARMAN Ignite platform at CES, as it underscores our strength as a turnkey provider of comprehensive, integrated services for the automotive industry and across all IoT vertical markets,” said Sanjay Dhawan, president of HARMAN Connected Services. “With the HARMAN Ignite Platform, our current and prospective customers and partners can maximize efficiencies and minimize internal costs in their goal to fully offer the connected lifestyle experience. We’re offering a whole new level of customized and personalized services benefitting OEMs, consumers and enterprises in the growing car share industry in an unprecedented way.”

Ignite is available in the U.S. market with plans to extend to other geographic markets such as Europe and Asia Pacific in 2017.

HARMAN at CES 2017
Visit the HARMAN showcase during CES 2017 for demonstrations of the company’s full portfolio of connected car and lifestyle audio systems that elevate the connected life. The HARMAN experience showcase is located at the Hard Rock Hotel. Follow HARMAN online during CES 2017:

HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and connected services. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. The Company’s software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 29,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $6.7 billion during the 12 months ended March 31, 2016. The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.